Human Rights day: Lets hope for a better and brighter Pakistan

These are only a few examples of the glaring violation of, or failure thereof, to implement the provisions of the UDHR by the government of Pakistan. PHOTO: REUTERS

I hate to be an emissary of doom and gloom. Unfortunately, when I often look around to seek inspiration for my write-ups, I find the wretched in much greater numbers than the elated souls. My quest then becomes one of bringing forth the voice of those derelict yet quiet masses.

It is on this note that I would be talking about today, December 10, which is celebrated around the world as the Human Rights Day. This exercise was taken up in the 1950s to commemorate the passing of Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations (UN) general assembly on December 10, 1948, and has been followed ever since.

If lucky enough to be spared by these, wait until an inferno engulfs your factory – the one with no fire exits and barred windows- and you’ve had it.

It becomes pretty hard for me to incorporate my sentiments in as few words as my editor permits. Thus, instead of rambling any further let me talk about the articles that the state of Pakistan has vowed to follow, and to provide the rights incorporated in them to its people.

Discrimination is omnipresent in Pakistan: religious, gender, ethnic as well as class discrimination. Lawyers banned Shezan on court complex because its owner was an Ahmadi. Similarly, women are discriminated against in all sorts of business matters. While justice does not serve the rich equally right, the case of affluent Bhaila brothers being one in point. Despite having caused the death of more than 250 workers, they can find their way into category B prisons with ‘private rooms, a bathroom, a television and personally cooked meals.’

Stories keep emanating about the inhumane treatment meted out to the Baloch dissidents. I say stories, because not many, besides Declan Walsh, have dared venture into the mountains of Balochistan to procure the complete truth. Journalists fear torture and death reminiscing Hayatullah Khan as well as Daniel pearl, allegedly through the hands of Pakistan’s intelligence agencies more often than the non-state actors.

The immunity clause in Article 248 of the constitution provides the president, and the governors, impunity in not just civil but also criminal matters.

Article 6, 8 and 10; Right to Recognition as a Person before the Law; Right to remedy by competent tribunal and Right to Fair Public hearing respectively.

Three words, Frontiers Crime Regulation (FCR).

No wakeel (lawyer), no daleel (argument) and no appeal for the people of the FATA region is entertained once they’ve been charged with a misdemeanour. The jirgas get to make the decision, and the people have no recourse to courts owing to the article 247 of the constitution.

Although, it is a very sensitive matter the above right has been denied to the Ahmadis by the state and to all other religious minorities by the people.

Article 19-

Freedom of Opinion and Information;

Pakistan is ranked the third most dangerous country for media men with seven journalists dying in 2012 alone, while 48 having been killed since 1992. That is for the information, while for opinions examples include, Salman Taseer, Shahbaz bhatti and most recently in Malala Yousafzai.

Lastly,

Article 25-

Right to adequate living standard;

If living with food insecurity, and lack of sanitation and health facilities suffices as being adequate, then only could a predominant majority of Pakistan possibly qualify as living a ‘marginally fulfilling’ life.

These are only a few examples of the glaring violation of, or failure thereof, to implement the provisions of the UDHR by the government of Pakistan.

There are others that sound quite absurd in our context, being first world problems, such as freedom from interference with privacy, family, home and correspondence, right to social security and the right to rest and leisure etc. These, we do not think of ourselves lucky enough to even be considered for.

It is about time we take up the daunting task of ensuring the basic human rights for all and sundry. May some concrete steps be taken to achieve that end by the government this human rights day, and may a foundation for a better and brighter tomorrow be laid. Here is hoping for all that we are capable of achieving.

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Thank you Mr. Badar for the detailed treatment (post-mortem) of different clauses of Universal Declaration of Human Rights being celebrated as Human rights Day on December 10 since 1948
as such it is the 60th year of its passage by UN General Assembly. During this period long period the social, political cultural, religious scenario has changed so much, especially in our land of the ‘pak’ pure people, which necessitates some minimum additional human rights of not only the alive, living people also the rights and privileges of the dead ones, too. For instance a new clause of rights be added in th UDHR that the dead ones must be given fullest guarantee that they will not be disturbed in their graves and the marble-stones fixed on graves, bearing their names and other particulars will never be erased, desecrated or demolished in the name of any religion. This sort of article is necessary for the Ahmadi citizens, who are not considered as worthy of human rights while alive, they may be assured that their dead bodies in their last ‘resting-place’ in their own community grave-yards, will be kept safe, secure and intact by the law enforcing and God fearing authorities in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.Recommend

@Sh. Salamat Ali,: There is a law existent in Pakistan penal code (article 297) that which declares the desecration a crime worthy of punishment. It is, however, one thing to have a law and quite another to implement it!